Healthy Weight Comes Down to Calories
This past week a friend of mine shared with me that she has started taking diet pills, “just to help” expedite her weight loss goal. There was no question they had been working as she had already lost some weight, but the news really disappointed me. I’ve known this person for a long time and she has always believed that a healthy weight can only be achieved through regular exercise and eating well. She’s always brushed off diets and when her friends were jumping on some weight loss bandwagon, she would say, ” Don’t these people realize that the weight will come back? I’m not doing that any more.” So what was it that caused her to suddenly abandon her solid knowledge of weight loss and start taking a diet pill? “I’m only taking it for a few weeks,” she said. Although she joked about it, she had noticed her patience level was compromised and she was constantly thirsty (diuretic effect of weight loss pills) and a bit jumpy.
I asked her, “So what is the big difference? What is it about the pills that makes more sense than eating right regularly?” She said,”Well, I’m eating less because I’m not as hungry.” Ahhh, she’s eating less. Exactly. So basically, she needs something to force her to eat less. I said to her,”You can do this diet pill thing, but you realize that when you go off of it, it’s like losing a crutch. First of all the withdrawal probably won’t be fun and you’ll be back to what you were doing before. Use this as a learning experience. See how much food you’re cutting out, how many calories and write it down. LEARN from this that in truth, the ONLY secret to weight loss is cutting calories but ultimately, you’re going to have to do it naturally, without the aid of diet pills.”
I’m hopeful that she will realize that her weight loss is the result of simply cutting calories, there is no “magic” in the pill other than suppressing her appetite. I guess you could call that magic. But the side-effects are hardly worth it and the long-term results, not there. It comes down to what we know but don’t really like to hear, it’s making the decision to make changes that are controlled naturally, not by a drug, not by a pill or “diet” but by making the conscious choice to change. Spend time to find out what triggers eating too much and change it. Find out why you tend to overeat, then address it and change it. The only way that someone will experience long-term change is through long-term desire, period. It’s like taking illegal drugs to escape from it all, at some point you have to be responsible for your own happiness and fulfillment. Ultimately, it is you that is in charge of making things happen and reaching the goals you set. I hope she figures that out sooner rather than later.
In health,
Making Changes for All the Right Reasons!
This picture brings back a lot of memories. I was about 17 years old and about 50 pounds overweight. I was miserable but hadn’t yet made the connection between my weight, my lifestyle and how I felt. It would be another year before I would finally have an “a-ha” moment and realize that I can’t keep doing what I’m doing and expect to age gracefully and most important, healthfully.
At the end of my senior year in high school, I had promised myself to get “moving” and start eating better. At the time, Weight Watchers was all about portion control and a nice variety of fruits and vegetables. It was because of that, I was able to lose the 50 pounds in a little over a year. That was almost 30 years ago which actually started my path in to the fitness arena. I know that taking the time to do it right, not pushing crazy starvation methods in place helped me so much in understanding what I like to call, “Food and mood.”
This past week, I was in Toronto lecturing to personal trainers at Can-Fit Pro. One of my lectures was, “Inspiring Clients to Move Beyond Diets and Into Good Health.” It is really my favorite lecture to present as so many in the audience can relate to it, whether personally or through a client they’re working with.
Going from diets to healthy living includes 5 key components, commitment, planning, clear goals, journaling and lastly, BELIEF! The belief that you actually CAN make the changes to a healthier lifestyle if you’re willing to follow the 4 other components. If you are not committed you will not succeed. If you cannot plan ahead, meals, grocery shopping, exercise, etc. you will not succeed. If you are not willing or able to set clear goals, you will not succeed. Lastly, if you’re not willing to journal (some believe the most important ingredient to long-term success) you will not succeed. You see, good things come from hard work and commitment and well, getting healthy is not easy until you’ve been doing it for awhile and like anything else, it’s gets easier as you go along. The more you do it, yes, the easier it gets. If you really want to change your life, you’re going to have to do some work. Not a “Debbie Downer” simply fact and I know, I’ve been doing it with others for years and I know personally, what it took for me to once and for all lose weight and keep it off!
I believe in my clients and I believe in their ability to succeed, but they have to believe in themselves as well. If they believe, they will certainly achieve. It is no different for you, do you believe?
Here’s to your health,
Nicki
Weight! You’ve Got It All Wrong!
I love my garden!
For the past 20 years, I have worked to inspire others to start and maintain a dedication to healthy living. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s a passion of mine that makes what I do very rewarding. Since I started in this business, much has changed. If you’re like me, you’ve probably jumped on the fat-free bandwagon, the oat bandwagon, low-carb, high-carb and any other “health” fad that came across weight loss radar. Like millions of people, if news was reporting that fat-free could save your life, by God fat-free was for me! However, in the last 5 or so years, I have come to understand that health and wellness information is like anything else we read, there are a hundred sides to every story. This means that it’s ultimately up to us to read, research and find out what is best for us and our body. What’s good for your sister, might not be the same for you.
In 20 years, the one constant I have found that is that weight loss is elusive for many because of nutrition. Yeah, yeah, exercise is certainly part of the equation but if push comes to shove and I have to pick, I would say that poor nutrition, or better said, confused nutrition is the reason that so many people struggle with weight. C’mon, how many times have you started an exercise program only to find that within 6 weeks the weight you’d lost was marginal and soon after tiring of the “diet” the weight came back, and then some?
I recently started training a new client. He’s very out of shape and for a young man, has lost control of nutrition. Additionally, like many other Americans, his job prevents him from keeping a regular exercise schedule alive. He’s pushing 50 and has been told by his doctor that changes need to be made or he’ll be on meds within 2 years. He came to me for exercise assistance and though we discussed the options for exercise, when it came to nutrition he said, “Well if I’m exercising, it really doesn’t matter, right?” WRONG! He believed that he would be burning off calories so that anything he ate wouldn’t matter. There’s two things here, first, people don’t often exercise hard enough or regular enough to create a consistent deficit = sustainable weight loss. That’s a common misconception. Second, no matter how much you exercise, the fuel that you put in to your body DOES matter. It’s no different than saying it doesn’t matter if you pour a gallon of paint in to the gas tank of your car. Um, yeah, it might make a difference. Same with food, you put junk in, low quality food and that’s what you get, feeling “icky” and low energy.
When I shared with my client that food was the majority of the weight loss puzzle he said, ” I wouldn’t know where to start, further, I have a very busy job.” I understand that all too well. So I encouraged him to first write down for a couple of weeks what he’s putting in his mouth. I think we can all agree that very often we’ll pay little attention to the quality of food we’re eating as long as we’re satisfied, right? Once he has an idea on his eating habits, where, why, what, THEN he can begin to address small changes here and there that don’t seem catastrophic to his current lifestyle. The truth is that many people aren’t willing to be inconvenienced by healthy changes, so the changes have to be small enough that they don’t seem that life altering. Make sense?
We are country that’s in a mess when talking about diet and exercise, there’s no doubt. But there is so much garbage, and promises of “easy” weight loss, that so many simply give-up because the task to lose weight and get healthy is daunting. For starters, ask yourself, “What do I want to change and why?” If you can answer that question with a response that will keep you focused, you can start making small changes. Start with something as basic as drinking more water. If you’re a diet soda drinker, strive to eliminate soda gradually from your diet. If you eat a lot of meat, try cooking some meals without meat (the internet is full of great recipes). If you’re a snacker, what is the quality of snacks you’re eating? If it’s chips, opt for a handful of almonds, or some rice crackers (not cakes, crackers) and a small bit of hummus. A bowl of fruit. We have gotten so far away from the foods we’re meant to eat and instead ended up in the land of processed foods and it’s killing us. Start paying more attention to ingredients in your foods, sodium amounts, additives and quantity of food, we eat waaaaay too much food. If you’re a sugar person, how can you start today, by reducing the amount of sugar in your diet? Do you eat plenty of vegetables each day? If not, how can you begin to incorporate more. These are a lot of questions, but start with just one thing, when you feel you’ve mastered it, move on to another change and so on and so on.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you cannot expect to change unhealthy habits in a week, a month or even a year. I personally still strive to improve my diet and knowledge of nutrition every single day. I am a firm believer in “food and mood,” when I eat well, I feel well. There is so much confusion about weight loss and nutrition it can make your head spin. Take it slow, listen to your body after you eat, what is it telling you? Your body is an amazing machine, trust that it has the ability to tell you what it needs and then be kind enough to respond positively.
There’s nothing more valuable than learning about healthy habits that can positively impact your life. Trial and error is part of the process, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know what opportunities are out there just waiting for you!
Here’s to a healthier you!
Nicki
Some of my favorite books: An End to Overeating by Dr. David Kessler
101 Optimal Life Foods by David Grotto, RD, LDN
Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
Second Nature, A Gardners Education by Michael Pollan
A Disconnect With Food May Be Cause of Obesity
Garden Season is Finally Here!
Spring is most definitely my favorite time of year. One of the reasons I celebrate spring is because it is officially garden season. Woot-Woot! There is nothing more exciting than to watch the garden grow and ultimately bring produce in to my home that is no longer from the store, but my own backyard. (O.K. I have to give credit, where credit is due, my husband Bill does all the planting, I get to harvest and cook. 
)
Last week, as I gathered some fresh radishes, green onions and lettuce to make the first garden salad of spring, I started to think about the disconnect that many people have with their food. In other words, it’s not about fueling (feeding) yourself, it’s simply about filling the tummy. My guess is years and years of fast-food and processed food has contributed to the disconnect. Additionally, people no longer pay attention to the importance (mentally and physically) that fresh, whole food provides for the body and soul.
I can’t tell you the number of people that have said, “Healthy eating means bland food and no taste.” Not so. The fact is that so many processed foods and fast-foods are loaded with salt and saturated fats, that people have forgotten what “real” food tastes like. Herbs can take any meal from weak to wow, it just takes time and experimentation.
Case-in-point, I was talking to a client of mine that is an avid “out-to-eater” and is working to try and make better choices. I encouraged him to start bringing his own lunch or find ways to include more home cooked meals. “Ahh, I just don’t like that food. I like the foods I get at restaurants.” And the reason he likes that food is that his palate has developed a fondness for high sodium and fat so when he attempts to eat a meal at home, it doesn’t taste as good. But the truth is that once you get back on track with “real” food, you’ll begin to realize just how unhealthy restaurant/fast food makes you feel. He is slowly making that connection and now realizes much of his lethargy has been due to his food choices.
It is my belief that processed foods are not only contributing to the demise of health in our country, but our appreciation for the value of good food and how it can positively contribute to good health, if we just give it a try. Think about how you feel when you’ve eaten well vs. how you feel when you’ve had a junk filled food day.
Hey look, been there, I get it. My diet used to consist of a 1/2 dozen chocolate filled donuts in the morning, Snickers for a mid-morning snack, a couple of tacos and chalupa for lunch, chips for a mid-afternoon snack and then whatever was being served for dinner. And then of course I went out with my friend later, a little alcohol and then a midnight snack which was typically huevos rancheros. Surprised? Sometimes I can’t believe the amount of unhealthy calories I used to consume. But once I made the connection between “mood and food,” my life changed and so can yours.
Start paying attention to how you feel when you consume healthier choices. Look, I’m not telling you to go out and start a garden, but why not start a little herb garden inside? When you go to the store, stick to the perimeter of the store as much as possible as that is where your healthier options are. Set a goal to start eating 2 vegetarian meals per week, or add a salad to 3 meals per week, etc. There are TONS of resources and recipes for creating healthier meals. My book is a great tool for gradually implementing healthy choices both for food and exercise. Opt for fruit and nuts for snacks vs. boxed bars that are loaded with sugar and preservatives. Given what I used to eat and where I am today, it is doable, if you’re willing and ready to change. And that is the key my friends, the willingness to change.
I know that when I harvest from my garden and consume the food from it, I am grateful for it. I am grateful for the opportunity to consume food that positively contributes to the body I was given. I just don’t think people give a second thought to the food they’re eating much less how it positively or negatively contributes to their health and everyday performance. Bottom line, we take food pathetically for granted.
So the next time you think about dieting, switch gears to connecting. Connecting with the foods that contribute to a better, healthier you. You don’t have to have a garden to do it. Simply start by purchasing more fruits, vegetables (especially when they’re in season, they’re cheaper) and when they’re not, frozen can work. After you’ve finished a healthy meal, connect to how you FEEL. The same holds true when you choose unhealthy options, pay attention to how you feel. My guess is that it will be vastly different than how you feel when eating whole, good-for-you foods.
In addition to plenty of resources via web, I’ve got a ton of recipes on my website as well as my cookbook, Here’s to Health.
I encourage you to start listening to your body and how it responds when you make the choice to fill yourself with a better grade of “fuel”. I know for me, the day I decided to choose health, that was the day I stopped dieting and finally achieved a healthier, stronger, leaner me. For that I am eternally grateful.
I want to hear your story. Have you struggled with healthy eating? Perhaps it’s because you’ve always used food for weight gain or loss. Maybe now is the time to use food for for it’s original intent, to fuel your body allowing it to perform optimally. That sounds a heck of a lot better than dieting, don’t you think?
Here’s to your health!
Nicki
P.S. As a side note, I know there is always the argument of how expensive healthy eating can be. THat comes from lack of education and it is my mission to see how we can change that. Be sure and check out Jamie Olivers effort in his show Food Revolution. A must watch!
Reaching Your Destination Doesn’t Require Speed
Me and my daughter, Allison
My daughter is a freshman at IU. ‘Sigh’ (Still mourning her absence).
She came home this past week (joy) and before I knew it, she packed up and headed back to school. The following morning I received a text from her:
“Mom, got a speeding ticket. UGH!”
That text was followed up by a couple of others, cursing her choice to put the pedal to the metal. After reassuring her that it wasn’t the end of the world, I reminded her about the importance of staying within the speed limit. This got me thinking about weight loss. I know, a surprise.
How many of you want to hurry-up and lose weight? How many of you have opted for fast and furious weight loss methods only to find yourself back where you started and in some cases, further back than when you started?
You see, my daugther was in a hurry to get back to school, I get it, but at the end of the day, she ended up losing time and getting a ticket, counterproductive.
The truth is, the best and most efficient way to lose weight and keep it off is to take it slow. What’s the rush? Studies show that the folks that take longer to take weight off, are more likely to stick to the healthy habits they created, resulting in more permanent success with weight loss.
So the next time you think about jumping on a fast and easy weight loss plan, take it slow and you’ll be more likely to arrive at just the right time, with the right results!
Here’s to your health!
Nicki
*BE SURE AND PICK UP YOUR APRIL ISSUE OF PREVENTION MAGAZINE, WOMEN’S HEALTH MAGAZINE AND WOMEN’S RUNNING. CHECK OUT THE KASHI INSERT WITH MY UNIQUE FITNESS TIPS!
Buffet Explains Dysfunctional Relationship with Food!
All you can eat buffet
This past week, I had the privilege of getting away for 7 days on a cruise. To celebrate 25 years of marriage, I figured a cruise would be a nice way to get away and celebrate, I was right. For 7 days I was out of the loop, no phone, no TV (well, very little) and basically zero internet access, it was great. You realize when away from the convenience of technology, that life still goes on, with less stress and more “downtime.” However, on a cruise, that downtime comes with a price, less moving and a 24 hour buffet, a brutal combination.
I noticed on this cruise upon entering the buffet, the plate sizes have changed since my last cruise 6 years ago. On that cruise there were two plates sizes, 8″ and 10″. On this cruise, the plate sizes increased to 10″ and an oval plate that is much like a serving platter, yes, more space for more food. “You know what we need? MORE FOOD!” I watched as people opted for the “serving platter” as their meal plate and no one had a problem covering every inch of their plate. Now don’t get me wrong, I was on vacation along with the hundreds of other people on board, so I shouldn’t be judging what others are eating, right? Well, it wasn’t so much judgment as sheer shock and awe at the amount of food one human being consumed in a single sitting. All-You-Can-Eat Buffet sets a sort of challenge for people I think. “Let’s see how much I can really eat!” Unfortunately, this is the dysfunctional relationship people have with food, the emphasis on quantity vs. quality. Thanks to diets, everyone fears losing food so they have to “get it while they can!”
On the cruise, I felt the best part of the buffet was having healthy food options at the ready. But who wants healthy food options on vacation? (That’s what people said to me.) Ahhh, I get it, vacations are for over-eating. Who made up that rule? I guess if our country had healthy eating habits and vacation was more about availability of foods that aren’t normally eaten, that makes sense. But what I saw on this cruise, was many of the foods people were consuming are foods they eat every day, such as french fries, pizza and ice cream, just more of it! I saw kids taking the serving platter, loading it up with french fries and catsup followed up with a couple of ice cream cones. Why? Because they can. Because the challenge of “All-You-Can-Eat” has been set and people are heeding the call!
Again, if the cruise offered delicacies that are not available for the rest of the year and you imbibe, that makes sense. But to view a vacation as an opportunity to eat mass quantities of food with the acceptance of weight gain as part of the cruise experience, befuddles me. Adding insult to injury was the number of people that took the elevators vs. the stairs. People would WAIT for an elevator for 2 flights of stairs! Huh? Wha? And that my friends sums up the obesity problem in our country, too much food with too little movement.
Being healthy is not about deprivation, unfortunately, that’s the belief of many. Being healthy means finding a sound balance between healthy options and periodic splurges. The truth is that our country is on a 24/7 splurge with unhealthy food choices. As is evident with the obesity in our country, there is a serious issue with food in that it is viewed it as a means by which to gain or lose weight. During the gaining process, no food is out of the question and during the losing process, no food is allowed. There is no “center” or understanding that the better the quality of food you eat, the better your body will function. That thought is foreign to many.
Again, my thoughts here are not about judgment, rather a reminder of the lack of education that exists when it comes to living healthy. Food is too often viewed as a “reward” vs. what is is meant to be, fuel for function. The better we eat, the better we feel. But the “reward” means quality is irrelevant and quantity is what’s deserved. I continue to work towards changing that thought process and creating a healthier world. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Here’s to your health!
Don’t Put All Your Eggs in the “Weight” Basket
This past week I met with a client that I have been working with for a couple of months. He came in and shared his disappointment at gaining 7 pounds despite his level of hard work. What do you say to someone who is looking to feel successful through weight loss only? How do you encourage someone to get past “the weight” and focus on all of the other accomplishments that have been made over the 2 months? Education.
When starting to lose weight or embarking on a weight loss program you’ve got to remember some very important things folks, you cannot expect a body that’s been mistreated for years to turn around in weeks, it doesn’t work that way. Further, after years of inactivity and poor nutrition, every one has a different point at which their body finally trusts the positive changes and begins to respond, i.e. metabolic weight loss. In other words, building muscle and improving overall performance takes time. The most important thing you can do is be consistent. If you start exercising like a mad-dog and eating only carrots and celery, sure, you might lose weight right away, but where will you be in 3 or 4 weeks? Back where you started, why? Because who can subsist on carrots and celery and hours of exercise? Very few people.
Look, when you’re looking to lose weight it’s got to be because you want to GET HEALTHY! Remember my friends, weight loss is simply a by-product of changing your lifestyle. People have it backwards, they put all of their eggs in to the weight loss basket when in reality they should be distributing their eggs in the nutrition basket, exercise basket, stress-relief basket and finally weight loss basket. If you put all of your eggs in one basket, you’ll never find the balance or the secret to long-term success.
From a practical perspective, what is the reason most people want to lose weight? Too feel better, right? So consider changing your priorities around and let lifestyle changes take the driver’s seat. You see if you focus on the things that change positively, consistency is more likely to follow. If you’re just looking at the weight loss piece, and it’s not forthcoming (in the unrealistic way many believe it will) you’ll quit and go back to bad habits. Yet bad habits are exactly what you’re trying to get rid of if you really want to lose weight. Are you with me?
So, bottom line, you want to lose weight, start making the changes necessary to make that happen but rather than focus on the numbers on the scale, focus on the everyday improvement you can notice right away. If health isn’t an issue, that go ahead and stop eating for a week, you’ll lose weight. But if your real goal is to feel better and change the quality of your life, there is no argument, lifestyle changes are the most important strategy. Just make them appropriate, realistic and measurable. Keep a journal, celebrate your progress and you may find that all of those lifestyle changes over time have not only greatly improved the quality of your life, you’ve lost some weight too!
Losing the “0n” or “Off” Mentality
- Avoid the “on” or “off” lifestyle.
I met with Anthony this week and we talked about his challenges and successes. Like anyone trying to lose weight, Anthony wants desperately for the weight to be off! However, when you’re doing it right, weight does not drop off quickly and changes need to be made for the long term, not just until a wedding, reunion, etc. What I’m talking about here is getting away from the “On a diet” or “Off a diet” mentality.
In my humble opinion, (and you know I have many of them), I really believe that being “on” a diet puts the mind in a very negative place. Being “on” a diet tells the brain, “You must suffer. You can not have anything you want ever again. You need to be hungry all the time and eat food you really don’t enjoy.” Hmmm, I don’t know about you, but with that kind of mental input, there is no way one can possibly beat the weight loss game.
So I told Anthony, “You need to approach this different than you have ever approached weight loss before. How? By looking at any changes that you make as long-term changes, not just something to change until the scale shows the appropriate number. Rather, make changes that you can sustain. Never say never and always know that there are moments where less than healthy choices will pop up. You just have to be prepared. And, if you fall in to eating something that isn’t great, don’t belabor the issue, acknowledge it and know that a healthy lifestyle is making good choices most of the time.” You see if you’re in that “on” or “off” mode and you trip up, the guilt is overwhelming and the negative self-talk goes in to full gear. However if you’re in the healthy living mindset and eat something that’s not on the good-for-you list, you tell yourself, “Back on track tomorrow. Eating this way does not leave me feeling the way I do when I eat well. I look forward to healthy eating tomorrow.”
The healthy living mentality is your best defense against a negative experience as you strive to change unhealthy habits to healthy ones. Try, just for this week (as I encouraged Anthony to do) to think “lifestyle” not diet. To think about the long-term and choices that seem appropriate vs. so painfully out of character for you you’ll never stick with them. Acknowledge the positive changes you make, even if they’re small.
Healthy living is supposed to encourage a healthier you, both mentally and physically. The best way to achieve that is to find your center and avoid the “on” or “off” when it comes to lifestyle change!
Here’s to your success.
The Truth Lies in Experience
Jimmy Moore ...Before and After
I have been in the health and fitness industry for over 25 years. And the one thing I have found is there are thosein the industry that spend their life trying to educate you honestly on realizing a healthy body, while others tell you what you want to hear, rarely delivering.
In addition to understanding the black and white of the health and fitness world, I have had an opportunity to meet some pretty amazing people, one of those is Jimmy Moore. You may have heard of Livin’ La Vida Low Carb and if you have, it all started with Jimmy Moore who has lost 180 pounds and has kept it off for more than 5 years now! Between you and me, those are the kind of people you want to listen to. And in his new book, 21 Life Lessons From Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb:How the Healthy Low-Carb Lifestyle Changed Everything I Thought I Knew, Jimmy shares his journey, some amazing insight and most of all honesty about the process and his desire to change the weight of the world.
As a fitness professional, it is my job to communicate honestly and without false promises. I’m a realist and although some of my thoughts are boring, the fact is that like Jimmy, I lost weight (50 pounds) and have kept it off for close to 30 years. I tell it the way it is, and so does Jimmy. I love that about him, you can hear his Southern warmth in all of his words, honest and passionate. But even more, Jimmy doesn’t just spout off his philosophy without backing it up, he does his homework. And whether you agree with his philosophy and findings or not, you will be impressed by the research information in his book. It’s all thought provoking.
There are few things that I am willing to endorse based on my years of experience, but Jimmy’s book is an interesting, warm, straight to the point read. If you’ve been struggling with weight, remember, your inspiration comes from many sources. I encourage you to check out Jimmy’s book, read about his journey and learn how incorporating a healthy low-carb (or as I fondly refer to, low carbage) nutrition program can change your life as it has changed Jimmy’s.
New Drive-Thru Diet? Marketing Brilliance Preys on Those Desperate for Weight Loss
Jared Fogle, Subway Spokesperson
Let me ask you a question. Do you know how much Americans spend on weight loss? Some research shows, well over 40 billion, that’s BILLION dollars annually.
Next question, is obesity in our country going up or down? Studies show that adult obesity was up in 23 states last year.
Last question, what individual took the popularity of Subway to a whole new level? That would be Jared Fogle. Yep, he’s the young man who catapulted himself in to commercial stardom by losing weight eating nothing but Subway Sandwiches. Plus, this fast-food chain figured if American’s were spending that much money on weight loss, why couldn’t some of that cash go in their pocket? Something tells me Subway had a very, very good year when Jared gave props to the fast-food chain. Unfortunately, since that rise to fame, Jared was spotted at the airport a few weeks ago carrying around a few extra pounds. My hunch is Subway got boring and life goes on.
This past week, a different fast food chain threw its hat in the ring vying for some of that weight loss money, Taco Bell. Someone in the marketing department took some serious notes from Subway. Welcome to the latest diet, “Taco Bell Drive Thru Diet” in which spokesperson Christine Dougherty claims to have lost 54 pounds eating off the Fresco menu. What a brilliant move by Taco Bell. Although, they make it very clear on their website that it is NOT a weight loss program? Huh? What? I’m confused then. Their whole push is losing weight while living on tacos and burritos. Imagine, being able to have your taco and eat it too! But you know and I know, this “diet” is yet another way for a company to make a lot of money while those that really need to get healthy, do not.
I think we can all agree that weight gain is the result of eating too much and moving too little, right? So sure, if all you do is live off fast food while keeping your calorie count in check you can lose weight, duh. It’s all about a deficit.
The problem I have with this whole thing is that number one, you know and I know fast food isn’t healthy. Although Fresco sounds so healthy, doesn’t it? Again, brilliant marketing. None the less, no matter how you slice it, fast food is typically higher in sodium and the quality of the meat and ingredients is one that I continue to question. Further, at what point does one take personal responsibility by making an effort to LEARN how to eat well sans a gimmick? A gimmick is a novelty and like all novelties, they eventually lose their appeal and all is forgotten.
So, Ms. Dougherty is all over the internet sharing her 54 pound weight loss thanks to the Taco Bell Fresco menu. But, I need to know more. Is that ALL she’s eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner (apparently Jared did that with Subway). Is she exercising? Does she drink soda since she’s at a fast food restaurant? Does she get in healthy fare any where else? And that my friends is the bottom line, WHERE IS THE HEALTH component? I know, I know, she’s lost 54 pounds and at the end of the day, that’s all most people care about. I would surmise thatTaco Bell is very, very happy thanks to someone who did their homework in the marketing department.
I lost 50 pounds, do you know how? Are you ready? I did it by giving up fast food and learning how to eat foods that I actually prepare at home. And you know what else? I’ve kept the weight off for close to 30 years. I have yet to see any of these crazy diets prove longevity.
I really hope that his new diet is short lived. Although sure, it’s great that this woman has lost weight touting fast food as the “secret” to weight loss does not sit well with me. By the way, you can see her on the website in her bikini. What? I wonder if all that driving to and from Taco Bell is what created those amazing abs? I can only hope that this painfully clear publicity ploy will not sit well with others. In fact, rather than trying the Drive-thru diet, my hope is that people will instead drive right on by.
on 
on